Tank-car valve



Jan. 26 1926. l 1,571,078

F. VVHITNEY ET AL TANK CAR VALVE INVENTORS ATTCRNEY Jan. '26 1926. ms

F. WHBTNEY ET AL,

TgNK CAR VALVE Filed April 11 1925 2 Sheets-Smet 2 ATTORNEY INVENTORS Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

TANK-can VALVE.

Application filed. April 11,1925. .Serial No. 22,383.

To ali whom it may cof/:cem:

Be it known that we, FRANK VVHrTNEr and PETE S. Conn, citizens of the United States, residing atl Glenrock, in the county of Converse and State of TWyoming, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tank-Car Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tank car valves which may be either applied to a tank car or a tank truck and coin templates the provision of valved means which will not tighten under the vibratory action of the tank and will not lock or wedge within its seat.

Another object of the valve is that a disk or packing provided upon the lower end of the valve for engagement with its seat will allow for the changing contour of the tank owing to its resilient construction and will also allow for the expansion and contraction of hot and cold liquids contained in the tank.

A further object of the valve is the provision of operating means therefor arranged in the upper portion of the tank and within a tank dome and which owing to its position therein is readily and easily accessible therein and which includes hooked means thereon and which may be hooked over the upper flanged portion of the tank dome in order to hold the valve open in draining a tank.

lith the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construetion, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings und pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a tank sho-wing the valve arranged therein in its seated position.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the valve operating means showing` the same engaging the upper flange portion of the tank dome in holding the valve open.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the valve operating means in inactive position.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the valve operating means in locked position.

yFigure 5 is a similar view showing the operating means unlocked.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3 and showing the locking` means for the valve operating means.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates a tank which includes a dome 11 having an opening 12 provided in the upper portion thereof.` rlhe foregoing description merely describes such structural details of the usual and ordinary type of tank carswhich is to be used for purposes of illustration in bringing forward the novel features and advantages of the above entitled invention, but which forms no partof the present application for Letters Patent.

The invention resides in the provision of a bracket 13 arranged upon the floor of the tank 10 and to one side of a drain vent 14 provided in the lower portion or bottom of the tank 10, and which further includes spaced apertured ears 15 which extend from the upper side thereof and which pivotally receive therein a valve arm 16 which extends from the valve 17 arranged within the tank and extending an appreciable distance within the ventl 14. This valve includes elastic or other pliable substance 18 arranged upon the lower inclined face thereof and -which is adapted to be snugly received within its valve seat provided in the side walls of the vent 14.

Pivotallyfrnounted as at 19 in the upper portion of the valve 17 is a valve rod 2,0 which extends upwardly therefrom an appreciable distance and Within and to one side of the opening 12 within the tank dome 11. It will thus be noted that upon an upward pull upon the valve rod 20 that the valve 17 will be caused to be unseated within the vent 14 and allow the contents of the tank 10V to be drained and in order to provide such `operating means IV provide a substantially L-shaped supporting bracket 21 which has its short leg secured to the inner side wall of the tank dome 11 andin so associating itself with the dome as its longer leg extending transversely within said dome.

The upper end of the valve rod 20 extends through the outer free end of the L-shaped supporting bracket 21 and elongated slot 22 provided in an operating arm 23 and held against accidental displacement thereon through the instrumentality of a Vnut or other fastening element 24. This operating arm 23 includes spaced downwardly extending apertured ears 25 which extend over the opposite side edges of the substantially L- shaped supporting bracket 21 and receive between the free ends thereofa pin or the like 26 beneath the substantially U-shaped supporting bracket 21.v Formed integral upon the valve rod 2O and adjacent the upper end thereof is a lug member 27 and upon which rests one of a pair of apertured lug members 28 which are arranged upon the upper side of the valve, rod 20; these lug members 28 are bent inwardly from locking member 29 which normally extends, when in a locked position, rearwardly along the substantially L-shaped supporting bracket 21 and includes a substantially offset portion 30 adjacent the freeend thereof.

Encircling the L- shaped supporting bracket is a ring 31Y which is bent upon itself and forms a looped portion 32 in order that the free end offset portion 3() of the locking member 29 may be received therein when it is desirous to lock the valve operating means. This locking member 29 further includes an inwardly extending ear 33 and which is adapted to frictionally engage the under side of the inwardly extending portion of the substantially L-shaped supporting bracket 21 in order that the upper lug 2S of the locking member 29 will be tensiovned against the under side of the operating lever 23 which in turn is engaged bythe corresponding` side of the nut 24 in order that thevvalve rod 2O is prevented from reciprocatory movement in order that the valvey 17 may not become accidentally displaced from its seat within the vent 14.

As a further holding means for this valve member 2Q inorder to keep the valve 17 seated, I provide an adjustable collar member SetuponY the valve rod 2O and between the lug members 28'of the locking member 29 and which has interposed between the upper sides thereof and the under sides of the transversely disposed portion of the sub` stanti-ally L-'shaped supporting bracket 21, a compression spring 354; it will be noted that owing to the resiliency of this `.spring 35 that the vvalve rod willbe normally tensioned downwardlyand in turn Vwill cause the valve'17' to ren'iain in its seat within the vent' 14 when the tank is oscillated or in any wayjarred.

Pivotally mountedr as at 36 upon the free end of the operating arm 23, hook member 37 including a finger engaging portion 38 and which hooked portion is adapted to engage the flange around the opening 12 provided in the tanks dome 11 when the ring member 31 is released from the offset portion 30 of the locking member 29 when the same is swung outwardly as clearly illustrated inFigure 5 of the drawing and in so doing the'hook portion 37 will engage the flanged portion around the opening 12 in the tank dome 11 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawing' it will. ie clearly noted that this device provides an exceptionally useful and advantageous valve with operating means therefor which will prove of great value to oil companieswhen transporting oil from wells as well as to local dealers in oil when using tank trucks for delivering. oil andgasoline to service stations.

rlthe invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is here in reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what is claimed is 1. A tank car valve of the character described comprising bracket means included upon the bottom of a tank for holding a ya ve within its seat, a rod for said valve, bracket means included within the tank and receiving the upper end of the valve rod therethrough, a compression spring interposed between the lower side of the bracket supporting means and the valve rod for seating the valve, positive locking means connected to the valve rod and upon the opposite ends of the compression spring and including a. lug member upon the upper side thereof and which is adapted to engage the under side of the bracket supporting arm, and slidable adjusting means included 'upon the bracket supporting means and engaging the upper portion of the valve rod iinforder that the valve may be readily and easily opened in the manner set forth.

2. A tank car valve of the character described comprising bracket means upon the floor of the tank for holding the valve within its seat, a valve rod pivoted .in the upper side of the valve and extending upwardly within the tank an appreciable distance and within a dome thereof, substantially L- shaped supporting bracket having its short leg secured to the inner side of the dome and having its long leg extending transversely within the dome and toward its center, an integrally formed sleeve provided adjacent the upper end of the valve rod, a locking member including inwardly extending apertured lug members received upon the valve rod and engaging the upper side of the integrally formed sleeve, a` removable sleeve arranged upon the valve rod and between the apertured ears of the locking member, a compression spring interposed between the lower side. of the bracket arm and the upper side of theJ movable sleeve for normally seating the valve, an arm extending` from one side of the locking member and adapted to be selectively locked with the substantially L- shaped bracket, an operating member re` ceiving the upper end of the valve rod therethrough, said operating lmember including a pair of downwardly extending ears and extending over the side edges of the substantially L-shaped bracket, a pin interposed between the apertured ears and hook means included upon the free eind portion of the operating member in order that the valve may be held in an open positifo-n in the manner set forth.

3. A tank car valve of the character described comprising a bracket upon the floor of a tank and connected with the valve for holding the same within its seat, a valve rod having its lower end pivoted to the upper Side of the valve and having its op posite end extending upwardly within the tank an appreciable distance, a substantially L--shaped bracket having its short leg secured to the upper side ofthe tank dome and having its opposite end extending inwardly and receiving the upper end of the valve rod therethrough, said rod including an integrally formed Sleeve adjacent the upper end thereof, a locking member including inwardly extending apertured lug members received upon the valve rod and engaging the upper sides of the integrally formed sleeve and L-shaped bracket respectively, an adjustable collar member received upon the valve rod between the lower side of the L- shaped bracket and corresponding locking member lug, a compression spring encircling the valve rod upon the upper side of the adjustable collar and having its opposite end engaging the lower side of the L-shaped bracket, the locking member including an outwardly extending arm which extends along one side of the L-shaped bracket, a

ring included upon the L-shaped bracket shaped bracket, a pin extending through the ends of the ears beneath the L-shaped bracket, and a hook member pivoted to the free end portion of the operating member and adapted to receive therein a flange formed upon the dome opening in order that the valve rod and valve per se may be moved upwardly in order that the latter may be unseated in ord-er that the contents of the tank may be drained in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof we aix our Signatures.

FRANK WHITNEY. PETE S. COLL. 

